Devour the Blog | hungry sofia

Dec 25

Sleeping Almond Meringues

For the past few weeks, I’ve been hopping around different countries for Devour. This recipe for sleeping meringues, however, is very close to home. I’d been trying to make my grandparents meringues which were air crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside when my friend Maria Budet shared her own grandmother’s recipe, providing the missing piece that had eluded me. Mystery solved, I added a few toasted almonds and drops of vanilla but am looking forward to many variations in the next year. Thank you all for reading and I hope you’re all enjoying a happy and peaceful Christmas morning!

May 24

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Croqueta Springa

This spring, I spent a few days working on a how-to-make croquetas for the Cooking Channel’s Devour the Blog. What was supposed to be a fast and easy solution for leftovers, became an ongoing project as I tried a few different variations and even planned an entire brunch around it for friends (hereto known as croquetaspringa). Now that the post is up, I have a daily reminder when I open my freezer and batches of frozen croquetas launch out at me like so many breaded torpedoes. Before we head into summer, I thought I’d link up and take one look back at a spring well spent. Click here for the recipe and final post.

Dec 24

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Mantecados de Ánis

Polvorones, the Spanish shortbread cookies have been my favorite for the holidays. Just flour, sugar and sometimes almonds, they’re perfect as gifts – simple but flavorful they go with everything. I was working on this spiced almond version for the Cooking Channel’s All Star Holiday Cookie Recipes post when I started thinking of mantecados. Though they’re some times used interchangeably with polvorones, mantecados should be made with lard – something I’d been avoiding despite the assurances of Michael Pollan, the Lee Bros., and legions of Cuban grandmothers. For frying it made sense, but for baked goods I associated it with heavier and denser cookies and pastries. Read more

Jun 30

Catching Up in June

This May, I took this picture at the Festival of Ideas for the New City along the Bowery. The season was just getting started and its been forward motion since then. With both spring and the summer solstice behind us, it seems like a good midway point to get a clear 360° view, looking backwards and forward at the same time. Belongings, an amazing New York times piece by Sam Dolnick did just that when they asked a group of immigrants to describe a single object they brought with them into their new life and what it means to them now, appropriate as we head into 4th of July weekend. For a much more tongue in cheek but no less interesting take on the immigrant experience, there’s Chingo Bling’s talking tamales. Read more

Apr 30

Catching Up in April

The last few weeks, I’ve had some unexpected travel. The trips themselves were planned but it was unexpected how quickly the intervening weeks flew. Feeling like I’d hardly been home when it was time to pack up and leave again, it didn’t help that the entire city is coming out of hibernation so every weekend offers competing to dos, openings and events. Back from Puerto Rico after Easter, I missed the beach but was comforted to find Cobble Hill in full bloom. I had the chance to do a little virtual traveling as well and put up a few more posts on Devour the Blog including camarones al chipotle and torrejas with lavendar and honey syrup with more to come. Read more